Five companies nominated for 'liar liar' award

By Janene Pieters on August 13, 2018 - 16:20

The Albert Heijn to Go convenience store at Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA station is one over 930 stores across the Netherlands (TahR78/Wikimedia Commons) . The Albert Heijn to Go convenience store at Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA station is one over 930 stores across the Netherlands (TahR78/Wikimedia Commons)

Animal welfare organization Wakker Dier announced the five nominees for its "liar liar" award for 2018 - an annual online election the organization holds to draw attention to companies deceptions about animal welfare. This year's nominees are Jumbo, Campina, Rabobank, ECOstyle and last year's winner Albert Heijn.

Albert Heijn is nominated for the supermarket chain's duck breast. "Albert Heijn boasts about the living conditions of its Premium Duck Breast. But the meat comes from inbred battery farm ducks who never go outside and do not get swimming water", Wakker Dier said to ANP.

Jumbo's nomination concerns its live lobster. The supermarket chain recommends placing the lobster in the freezer for half an hour before cooking it alive, because this will sedate the animal. "But freezing is not a proven method of sedation", Wakker Dier said.

Campina's nomination has to do with dairy packages which state that the cows are allowed to grow old in a responsible manner. "While dairy cows usually go to slaughter before their sixth birthday because of health problems", Wakker Dier said.

Rabobank was nominated for its 'sustainability' campaign and accompanying television advertisement. "In that the bank claims that it wants to make the food sector more sustainable." In reality the bank invested 6.8 billion euros in companies with "very low" animal welfare standards, between 2012 and 2017, Wakker Dier said.

And pet food company ECOstyle was nominated for its misleading name, according to WakkerDier. "With a name like ECOstyle you expect that you provide your four-legged friend with ECO pet food. Nothing is further from the truth. ECOstyle food is made from industrial meat." Only the herbs are organic, according to the organization.

Consumers can vote for which company should receive this year's liar liar award here.